Six Nations
The Six Nations, also called the Iroquois League, was formed sometime in the 15th or 16th century. It consists of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, Cayuga, and Tuscarora nations, though Tuscarora didn't join until 1722. They were based in the northeastern United States when Europe first made contact, primarily in what is known today as Upstate New York. Their indian name, Haudenosaunee, means people of the longhouse, the Iroquois League also means League of Peace and Power. League Formation The nation was mainly formed by Hiawatha and Degenawida who brought a message known as the Great Law of Peace to the Iroqouian tribes. The only main opposition to this law of peace was Tadodaho of the Onondaga tribe. Tadodaho was described as an evil sorceror with matted and spiky hair, it was also said that snakes lived in his hair. He ruled his tribe with fear and tried to destroy all attempts to bring peace among the tribes. It is a legend among the people that Tadodaho killed all 3 of Hiawatha's daughters, one during each attempt at a tribal fire, with his evil powers. Hiawatha and Degenawida were finally able to bring Tadodaho into the confederacy by peroforming a ritual to cleanse his mind and body. He was then named as the firekeeper of the Six Nations and his name is used today as a term for the great spiritual leader of the nations. Expansion and the Beaver Wars After being formed, the nations sought to expand their hunting grounds. They were considered to be very imperialistic and moved up into the Canadian region. They became famous and feared by te southern settlements of America. In 1609 the Iroquois participated in the Beaver Wars against the French, their Huron allies, and the Algonquins. During the war the Iroquois also exterminated the Neutral Nation and Erie tribe in the west. During the war the Iroquois proved themselves a vicious people as well as a very prosperous people as they gained exclusive fur trading rights with the Dutch and the English for the region. In 1701 the Iroquois and the French signed a peace treaty and ended the wars. French and Indian Wars The Iroquois sided with the British in the French and Indian War, mostly in order to both fight the French and to gain favor form the British. They were somewhat successful in gaining favor and after the war the British decreed that there would be no settlements allowed beyond the Appalachian mountains, but this was mostly ignored by the settlers. The Iroquois then sold all their land between the Ohio and Tennessee rivers to the british. American Revolution During the Revolution there was a huge split between the Six Nations. Tuscarora and Oneida sided with the colonists while the rest of the nation remained loyal to Britain. During the war Joseph Louis Cook was made a Liuetenant Colonel, the highest rank held by any Indian during the war. Despite the help of the two of the six tribes, George Washington order the Sullivan Campaign against the Six Nations, and not just "overrun, but destroy" the British-Indian alliance. After the war many Iroquois moved into Canada where England gave them land for their help. Individual Indian Tribes The tribes in the Six Nations is comprised of six different tribes that have their own histories and have caused the Nation to clash on various issues. Mohawk Tribe The Mohawk people lived in what is now Upstate New York and near the border of Canada. In the past the tribe was very aggressive and initiated many of the conflicts that fell upon the Six Nations. They repeatedly attacked the French, broke treaty's, attacked people under the protection of other tribes in the Six Nations. Despite the troubles that they brought to th League, they also protected them from many invaders as they were known as the Keepers of the Eastern Door. During the Revolutionary War the Mohawk's fought for the British, however, there was one prominent member of the Mohawk tribe, Joseph Louis Cook, that became a prominent member of the American Army. Many moved to Canada after the war and still live there today. They currently reside in Canada near Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Oneida Tribe The name, Oneida, stands for The People of the Standing Stone. They lived in the area of Wisconsin and New York. There history is kind of boring until the American Revolution where the tried to stay neutral, however, they eventually joined the colonists. Two of the reasons were that the Oneida were far away from any British forts and felt no need for loyalty to them, and a Protestant missionary, Samuel Kirkland, influenced them to join the colonists. They now reside in Wisconsin and lower Canada. Onondaga Tribe Nothing of interest happened to this tribe, in my opinion. Cayuga Tribe The most promimnet thing that happened to this tribe was that their land was completely devastated during the Revolutionary War and most of the tribe had to retreat to other tribes in order to survive. Seneca Tribe The Seneca Tribe was the tribe that first thought to form the nation. The main reason behind this is that they were under constant threat of attack from almost all of their neighbors. They are also the largest tribe of the nation with about 4,000 members at the height of their power. During the Revolution they sided with the British and were subsequently nearly decimated by the American Sullivan Expedition. Tuscarora Tribe The Tuscarora were originally placed in North Carolina near the Appalachian ridge until they were forced out by a combination of Dutch, British, and German forces that forced them to flee north and seek protection from the Five Nations. They were eventually allowed into the nation and became the sixth nation of the Six Nations. They joined with the colonists during the Revolutionary war, however, after the war they left with the Mohawk tribe into Canada. Category:Indian Nations